Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Over time one develops an eye for movies in terms of quality. I also tend to watch films which I already have a feeling are likely going to be bad but it is actually quite rare to find movies that are just complete fucking shit from start to finish. Everly sure is one such "film". There isn't a single good performance in the movie and Lynch proves to be a director of choice for this perfect train wreck. The idea of a close spaced action movie must've been gold on paper and the production value is in fact pretty good but the story with its ridiculous sub plots is incoherent mush and as Hayek continues her endless spiral into career oblivion with what-the-fuck-were-they-thinking projects like this, I'm increasingly happy to leave her there. Long gone are the days of Desperado.

Often the most simple ideas are the best. Cop Car is a perfect testament to this. Two kids find a seemingly abandoned police cruiser and take it out for a joy ride only to find themselves in grave danger as a result. Bacon is excellent as the mischievous sheriff searching for his car and the film makes a nice impression with it's stylish cinematography and pace. I'd say we'll likely be hearing more from writer-director Watts.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

I can't remember if Scott has ever before made such a genuine feel good movie. The Martian is of course a survival story of an astronaut mistakingly left behind after a mission gone wrong but it's told with such effortless positivity and heart, you cannot help but leave the theatre feeling uplifted. The cast is pitch perfect from Damon himself to Jeff Daniels and even Kristen Wiig. Although Damon's Mark Watney is stranded, the film can't be considered a one man show since it takes place as much elsewhere as it does on Mars. This is definitely the best film Scott has made in years but it's likely to be left in the margins of 2015 with much bigger hits such as Jurassic World, Spectre and Star Wars coming out the same year. The Martian will likely become that likeable film you find every once in a while and have a look. I know I will.

The special effects movie to end all special effect movies. Somewhere Roland Emmerich is jizzing his pants. On one hand this is a cool action movie which certainly offers destruction and dramatic turns for the buck but on the other hand, it's so extremely clichéd they've scraped every old idea from the bottom of the barrel and lastly hurled the fucking barrel in as well. There's the guy who starts off nice but turns into selfish survivalist. There's the desperate family drama and teen romance. The torn flag and "God bless you all". And the absolute best effects money can buy. So, if you can stomach the who-gives-a-shit script, you might enjoy the massive carnage.

Some members of audience have been turned off by how much references Spectre carries to other Craig Bonds but since this film finally ties up those loose ends from previous films, I'd say it's a given they're there. Skyfall was a smash hit in international box office even on the 007 scale so stakes were high on the follow-up. Spectre is a more traditional Bond film because it brings back the gadgets and sports more old humor while often echoing From Russia With Love and On Her Majesty's Secret Service. The film feels a bit uneven in it's trajectory and it ultimately certainly leaves things in a place which promises lots of grievance in the next installment, presuming the traditional status quo is maintained. Monica Bellucci's screen time is a joke especially after they made such a fuss about there finally being a maturer Bond girl. She's on screen for about 10 minutes and carries as much weight as a character who checks Bond into a hotel, but could this mean that more of her is to come? Certainly these new films have been heavy on picking up old storylines, so maybe. But enough with keeping the lid on Waltz's character. Geez, talk about an open secret. Post-Dench era is now in full gear and Fiennes does a fine job though the whole thing reeks of need for a steady income now that the Potter films are in the can. Also on form is Whishaw as Q. After being introduced in Skyfall, he's already very much at home and cozy in the part while Dave Bautista (Guardians Of The Galaxy) does his grumpier Oddjob impression as Waltz's henchman. Craig is contracted for one more and I have a feeling it's going to be a dark one.

Monday, November 16, 2015

Jurassic Park III (or its director Joe Johnston) did such damage back in 2001 that the series was dead for 14 years. Over time there were rumors of a fourth movie and when we finally got it.. it was fantastic. JW has its mild sore spots with a bit of an uneven pace and the fact that it's basically a kind of a remake of the original masterpiece. That aside, Jurassic World is entertainment at its best. The main "villain" Indominus Rex is a worthy menace to carry the movie and Chris Pratt is a likeable hero as Guardians Of The Galaxy previously demonstrated. The absolute best thing about this film is the use of the T-Rex. It's never actually mentioned in dialogue, but according to interviews with Trevorrow, the Rex in JW is the same character as in the original from '93. This only makes me love it more because she's treated with respect by the filmmakers and is given the role she deserves. Oh and by the way, check out the skeleton through which she runs upon arrival. A nice little fuck you to JPIII. There's an untitled sequel coming in 2018 which comes as no surprise as Jurassic World ended up being one of the highest grossing films of all time. Rightfully so.

The third outing in the franchise is as bland and useless as the previous two. I cannot fathom how Levy still has a career as a director 'cause all his efforts are so calculated and joyless. Only Real Steel had something going but this was largely thanks to Hugh Jackman (whose cameo by the way is absolutely the best thing here). The action is moved to London with no added boost whatsoever and the whole movie can be summed with it only wanting to be funny.

Sunday, November 8, 2015

The fifth Terminator works about as well as the fifth Die Hard. Lots of action is brought to the screen and it begins with a slight interest but as it turns out, the film is without soul. Taylor, who did a wonderful job with Thor: The Dark World, seems to pull all the stops but it matters not since you're not emotionally invested. Plus I especially detested the storyline given to John Connor (Jason Clarke). Such a waste. Please let this franchise die.

Geez it's been a while since my last post. Here we go. Finally got around to seeing this film, sadly as a result of Craven's passing. This movie has an underground following and it's certainly weird enough to justify it. A strange and surprisingly stable mix of horror and black comedy with a subtle social commentary. The film is quite like Craven's career as a whole: perhaps not the most memorable, but definitely with it's own highlights.

I am not my job or how much money I have in the bank.

Just felt like sharing my views and opinions about these films and related topics with you, but feel free to let me know if there's a particular film of which you'd like me to write about. If I haven't seen it, I'll try to make an effort to find it and review it for you.
Bare in mind that I'm only just getting started. There's not much material yet, but Rome wasn't built in a day either. Right?? :) and also, I'm a Finnish guy so give me a break if my english isn't 100%.